Wall panel mounter



Aug. 18, 1970 s l LEWIS 3,524,239

WALL PANEL MOUNTER Filed March 14, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Hal/R52 26 ATTORNEY Aug. 18, 1910 s. '1. LEWIS 3,524,239

WALLPANEL uouumn Filed March 14, 1968, 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Hal/RF 4 FIGURE 5 S/afford/ Lew/'5, 15\IVENTOR.

United States Patent US. Cl. 29-200 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A support type tool to be used singly or in cooperating pairs to aid in positioning and to support large panels in fastening position on a wall prior to fastening. The tool provides a base, supported on an underlying floor, with a structurally communicating upwardly extending support arm of some length providing means for sup porting the tool angularly adjacent a wall and means of releasably supporting the lowermost edge of a panel to be placed upon the Wall. The device is particularly adapted to allow one mechanic to apply large wall panels to vertical supports in light frame construction.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION Related applications There are no applications related hereto filed in this or any foreign country.

Field of the invention This invention relates generally to the field of carpenters tools and more particularly to a support type tool adapted to be used singly or in pairs to support a large fiat panel upon a vertical wall prior to fastening to the wall.

Description of prior art In the construction industry generally, and particularly in the light frame branch thereof, it has heretofore become common practice to use large planar panels to finish the surface of walls especially interior walls. A panel embodying a planar mineral sheet between adjacent parallel paper surfaces, commonly known as dry wall or plaster board has been particularly used for the surface of interior walls.

Because of desirable physical properties and economic manufacture and application, such panels commonly are provided in reasonably large sizes, generally four feet wide and from four to twelve feet long. Such panels are commonly applied to supports with the longer dimension horizontal. Commonly the topmost panel is applied before lower panels so that during application there is nothing immediately below the topmost panel to support it upon the existing structure.

Heretofore the application of such panels has been commonly accomplished by at least two workmen who can hold each end of the panel in appropriate position while it is being fastened to its supports by one of the workmen. Generally, such panels are so diflicult of manipulation that they may not be effectively applied by one workman.

Various tools have heretofore become known to support such panels during their application. Many of these known tools have provided structure that prevents access to a part of the exposed surface area of the supported panel thus limiting or rendering difiicult any operations thereon. Other known devices have been secondarily concerned with the transportation of a panel prior to placement, and these generally have required some mechanical attachment of the tool structure to the panel that, in addition to the foregoing disadvantages, may also physically damage the panel. All of these devices have in general either been mechanically damaging to the panel,

3,524,239 Patented Aug. 18, 1970 or else of such a mechanically complex nature as to make them costly of manufacture and operation and difficult and unreliably delicate of use.

The instant invention seeks to provide a device distinguished from the prior art in that it provides a supporting type communication between the existing structure and wall panel to maintain the panel in appropriate fastening position prior to fastening. The device aids the positioning of the panel to such an extent that the operation may be conveniently and efliciently accomplished by one workman. It further provides a tool of extremely simple and rugged design that is practically infallible in operation. It further supports only the lowermost edge of a wall panel, thus leaving free access for workmen over the entire surface of the panel, in such fashion as to provide no blemishes or other physical damage in the ultimately exposed panel surfaces which would have to be repaired during the final finishing operation. It is of light weight and may also be used as a stool to aid a workman in fastening a supported panel.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION The instant invention was conceived to provide a support type tool usable singly or in cooperating pairs to aid one Workman in placing and maintaining a vertical wall panel in fastening position above a horizontal surface at a spaced distance therebeneath.

This function is accomplished by providing a base element adapted to be supported on the horizontal surface, such as a floor, communicating with an elongate upright having a plurality of spaced supporting elements adapted to communicate with the lower portion of the lowermost edge of a wall panel to support it in vertical position. The base may carry one or more supports, preferably pivotably mounted, to aid in positioning wall panels upwardly in progressive steps between cooperating pairs of tools. The supporting elements carried by the upper portion of the upright are preferably plural and spaced to provide appropriate positioning of a wall panel in a vertical plane.

To use the tool, cooperating pairs are positioned nearly vertically, but with their bases slightly outward from the wall supportsin light wood frame construction the vertical supporting studs. In this position a wall panel is moved to the tools and one end of the panel placed upon the lowermost vertical support. The mechanic then goes to the other end of the panel and places this on the next upward support and the process continues until the panel is very nearly vertically below its final uppermost position. The final adjustment then, of a measure less than that of the distance between fastening elements, is made by moving, preferably by foot manipulation, the lower portion of the base element toward the wall to raise the support until the topmost edge of the dry wall panel is in the appropriate position. Since the panel is supported at two distinct points along its length, and the topmost surface is substantially a line, the panel may be angularly orientated to some degree to fit existing structure thereabove.

It is possible to accomplish a similar result with one support tool by the workmen supporting one end, but this is not so convenient as placement with cooperating pairs as previously described.

In providing such a structure, it is:

A principal object of my invention to provide a support type tool to aid in positioning and to maintain a wall panel, upon a vertical wall prior to fastening, above an existing spaced horizontal supporting surface therebelow.

A further object to provide such a tool that communicates between a lower supporting surface such as a floor and the lowermost edge of a panel being supported to provide a free and accessible working area over the entire exposed face of the panel.

A further object to provide such a tool that allows positioning of wall panels with varying angular orientation relative to and at varying distances vertically above the supporting surface therebeneath.

A further object to provide such a tool that communicates only With the lowermost edge of a panel being supported, at a position normally within a joint area thereafter to be taped, and without any marring of the ultimately exposed surface of the panel.

A further object of my invention to provide a base that serves secondarily as a stand for a workman fastening a supported panel to allow him to more readily fasten the upper portions.

A still further object of my invention to provide such a device that is of new and novel design, of mechanically simple, sturdy, and durable nature, of economic manufacture and great reliability and one that is otherwise well adapted to the uses and purposes for which it is intended.

Other and further objects of my invention will appear from the following specification and accompanying drawings which form a part of this application. In carrying out the objects of my invention, however, it is to be understood that its essential features are susceptible of change in design and structural arrangement with only one preferred practical embodiment being illustrated in the accompanying drawings, as required.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings, wherein like numbers of reference refer to similar parts throughout:

FIG. 1 is an isometric drawing of one form of my invention showing its various parts, their configuration and relationship.

FIG. 2 is an orthographic front view of a device similar to that of FIG. 1 but having a different type of panel support structure.

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the device of FIG. 1 taken on the line 33 thereon, in the direction indicated by the arrows, to show particularly the shape of the vertical support and panel supporting elements in the upper portion thereof.

FIG. 4 is a semi-diagrammatic representation embodying diagrams 4A, 4B and 4C, to show the method of positioning panels upon cooperating support tools.

FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view through diagram 4B of FIG. 4 showing the vertical relationship between tool and studs in initial position.

FIG. 6 is a similar cross-sectional view of diagram 40 of FIG. 4 showing the vertical relationship between the tool and studs in final position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings in more detail and particularly to that of FIG. 1, it will there be seen that my invention generally includes base element 10 communicaing with vertical support arm 11, each carrying plural vertically spaced dry wall supporting elements 12.

Base 10 is a rectilinear sheet-like element with lower supporting edge 13 and truncated upper corners 14. Plural holes 15 are provided in the medial portion of the base to allow fastening of base to support arm. The base is formed of some physically rigid, reasonably durable material at least sufficient to support the weight of a wall panel and allow manipulation as hereinafter provided. A material of economic nature admirably suited to this program is plywood of inch thickness.

Support arm 11 is an elongate element comprising upper portion 16 and lower portion 17 configured with straight frontal surface 18 and tapering rearward surface 19 so related that a lower cross-section is of lesser area than an upper cross-section. This particular configuration is preferred to provide saving of material and the convenience of substantially vertical positioning of the up right against a stud that may have outward protuberances in its base part. Holes 20 are provided in the lower medial part of the member to cooperate with holes 15 in the base to co-jointly receive fastening devices therebetween.

The rigid joinder between base 10 and support arm 11 is accomplished with plural bolts 21 and cooperating nuts 22 extending through holes 20, 15 in the two members. This type of fastening allows a releasable communication which in some instances is desirable. The fastening may be accomplished with vertically oriented elongate slots (not shown) rather than holes to allow vertical adjustment between the members; generally by reason of the operation hereinafter specified this adjustment is not necessary. The method of fastening elements 10, 11 together is obviously one of choice and other known fastening devices may serve the purpose.

Support arm 11 must be of a reasonably rigid nature, at least sufiiciently rigid to support a wall panel and must be sufficiently durable to allow it to fulfill its specified functions. I have found ordinary 2 x 6s of structural grade, cut to the configuration illustrated, admirably suitable for this purpose. If such material be used it is to be noted particularly that the taper created in the support arm will allow some overlapping of elements along a normal 2 x 6" so that a given lineal footage of 2 x 6" will create more than that lineal footage of vertical supports.

Panel supporting elements 12 preferably include at least one lower pivotable support and necessarily include a plurality of upper supports, preferably of a pivotable nature. The lower pivotable supports comprise elongate block 23, having at least one planar surface to communicate with one edge of the panel. Such blocks 23 pivotally mount upon either base 10, support arm 11 or both, as the case may be, by shaft-like fasteners 24, preferably of the nature of a bolt, the mounting being accomplished in such fashion that the block may pivot about the shaft of the fastener. This pivotable mounting allows surface 25, communicating with the lowermost edge of a panel, to remain parallel to that edge notwithstanding the angular orientation of the panel and thus prevent edge gouging by supporting surface 25 or its terminal edges. The number of such pivotable fastening elements is not critical, as they largely constitute a convenience, but one or two generally aid in the manual manipulation of a sheet during the mounting operation.

The upper supporting elements constitute a series of stair step notches arranged in an upward-inwardly tapering fashion, as illustrated, with horizontal surfaces 26 and vertical rises 27, horizontal and vertical being in reference to frontal surface 18 of the support arm when in operative position. Horizontal surfaces 26 are preferably spaced at parallel distances of some inch or two in the normally sized device, the exact spacing depending upon physical conditions that may be determined by well known methods from the function hereinafter described.

Having thusly described the structure of my invention, its operation can now be understood, particularly with reference to the drawings of FIGS. 4, 5, and 6.

The diagrams of FIG. 4 show wall panel 28 to be applied to a plurality of vertically oriented studs 29 to form the interior surface of a wall, as common in ordinary frame construction. Floor element 30 has previously been placed as is the practice in the western type of frame construction. A pair of my tools 31 are placed in spaced relationship, not more than the length of a wall panel apart, with the upper inwardly extending edge against one of vertical studs 29 and lower edge 13 of the base 10 upon floor element 30, somewhat outwardly from the lowermost portion of the studs, so that the entire support element is slightly angled downwardly away from the studs.

With supports in this position, wall panel 28 is moved to the area an one lower corner placed upon pivotable support 23a, with the other corner resting on floor 30. The workman then moves to the opposite end of the panel and moves that end vertically upward to rest upon pivotable support 23b. The workman then moves back to the originally moved end of the panel and manually moves that end to the appropriate horizontal surface 26 of the upper rigid fastening elements, to position the topmost edge of the panel immediately below its desired final position. The workman then moves back to the other end of the panel and moves that end to a similar position on the opposite support. If the support tools have not been moved laterally of the studs during panel positioning, this is next accomplished to allow the panel back to rest directly upon the supporting studs.

The panel now is resting substantially parallel to and immediately downwardly adjacent the position it is to finally occupy, its downward distance below such final position being less than the distance between the horizontal surface 26 of the upper support element on which it rests and that immediately thereabove. In this condition lower edge 13 of base is moved horizontally toward the wall, by foot manipulation or otherwise as desired, to lessen the angle between support arm 11 and vertical studs 29, thusly raising panel 28 upwardly sufliciently to bring it into its desired final position. The panel is now in position for fastening by any of the common methods used for such purposes.

It is to be noted that during the positioning operation aforesaid it is possible that a rotary moment could be created in the panel causing its top to rotate outwardly and downwardly away from the wall. Normally this can be prevented by manual support of the panel by the mechanic, though if desired, some type of blockage might be positioned on the ceiling element adjacent the panel to prevent such happening.

It is further to be noted that the efforts of only one workman are required during the entire placement operation and that once the panel is in its final position, as illustrated in diagram 4C of FIG. 4, the panel will be maintained in this position by my tools awaiting fastening. The tool base may also be used by a workman to stand on to facilitate operation upon the upper portions of the panel.

It is further to be noted that the panel in its final position is supported only at two points along its lowermost edge, and that the face thereof and all other surfaces are completely free of obstruction to allow operation over the entire surface. The panel held in this final position may be attached to supporting vertical studs therebehind by any of the common methods of application and particularly by gluing, nailing or both. Nailing may also be accomplished along the taped edges so that the nails will be covered during the normal taping operation.

It is further to be noted that the operation described could be carried out with only one support, if not as simply as that described for use with two cooperating supports. If one support be used, obviously the supported end of the panel must be positioned in its final resting place before the other end is lifted by a workman and this other end when lifted can generally be maintained in position and fastened in a temporary or permanent fashion while it is being held by the workman.

The foregoing description of my invention is necessarily of a detailed nature so that a specific embodiment of it might be set forth as required, but it is to be understood that various modifications of detail, rearrangement and multiplication of parts may be resorted to without departing from its spirit, essence or scope.

Having thusly described my invention, what I desire to protect by Letters Patent, and what I claim is:

1. A wall panel mounting tool of the nature aforesaid, comprising, in combination:

a base element having a substantially linear lower supporting edge of some appreciable extent adapted to support the base element upon a substantially planar underlying floor;

a support arm communicating with the base element and extending vertically therefrom, said support arm having at least one panel supporting element in its upper portion to releasably receive and support the lowermost edge of a substantially vertically oriented panel at a spaced distance above the surface supporting the base element and adjacent a wall to which the panel is to be applied; and

fastening means structurally joining the base element and the support arm to form a rigid unitary support structure.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein the panel supporting elements comprise:

a support block, pivotably mounted in the medial portion of the support arm, having a substantially linear upper surface to support the lowermost edge of a panel to be positioned against gravity displacement; and

plural step notches in the uppermost portion of the support arm, each having substantially horizontal surfaces to support the lowermost edge of a panel to be positioned at vertically spaced positions against gravity displacement.

3. The invention of claim 2 disposed in spaced cooperating pairs, each positioned for support at a slight angular orientation relative a vertically oriented wall upon which a panel is to be applied and supporting a panel to be applied therebetween, said inventions being manually moveable to a position of less included angle between the invention and the supporting wall to allow placement of the panel in proper position on the supporting wall.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,210,469 1/1917 Harshberger 33-188 3,092,900 1/ 1963 Smith et al. 29-200 3,238,608 3/1966 Davis 29-200 3,324,535 6/1967 Johnson 29200 THOMAS H. EAGER, Primary Examiner 

